Wednesday, May 05, 2010
Sugar and Cholesterol
Reducing your intake of sugar can also improve your cholesterol. The refined sugars that are added to soft drinks, bottled drinks and convenience foods damage cholesterol and other important blood fats, thus, increasing our risk for diabetes and heart disease. It is possible to reduce your sugar load without making it a huge sacrifice.
Studies performed at Emory University found that the more added sugars a person ate, the lower their "good cholesterol" and the higher their triglyceride levels.
Harmful vs Good Sugars -
Good sugar occurs naturally in foods such as fruits etc. Harmful sugars are those that are added by manufacturers (such as white sugar) Other added sugars may include sweeteners that are sometimes considered healthy, such as brown rice sugar, honey, cane juice etc. The fact that they are added to the foods is the problem. The average american eats 22 teaspoons of sugar daily. Cut that to 6 for women and 9 for men and you would see a dramatic difference in health.
How do you cut back? Soda pop is the larges culprit and source of added sugar. One 12 oz can contains 8 teaspoons!! Switching to diet soda isn't the answer as there are many questions around artificial sweeteners and the health problems they may cause. Actual studies have shown that people who drink diet sodas are more likely to be overweight than those who drank regular sodas. Artificial sweeteners may increase the appetite, especially for sweets.
Switch from sweetened cereal to unsweetened and add your own or a little organic agave nectar to sweeten. Eat fresh fruit and if you bake, use the organic versions of sugar. Avoid as many pre-packaged foods as possible.
Always, always read your labels and look for the least amount of sugars possible when purchasing foods.
Water is a good alternative to soda pop. It takes a commitment to switch, but if you really worry about your health, it can be done. Water is so important to eliminating impurities from our bodies - the benefit is tremendous!
Studies performed at Emory University found that the more added sugars a person ate, the lower their "good cholesterol" and the higher their triglyceride levels.
Harmful vs Good Sugars -
Good sugar occurs naturally in foods such as fruits etc. Harmful sugars are those that are added by manufacturers (such as white sugar) Other added sugars may include sweeteners that are sometimes considered healthy, such as brown rice sugar, honey, cane juice etc. The fact that they are added to the foods is the problem. The average american eats 22 teaspoons of sugar daily. Cut that to 6 for women and 9 for men and you would see a dramatic difference in health.
How do you cut back? Soda pop is the larges culprit and source of added sugar. One 12 oz can contains 8 teaspoons!! Switching to diet soda isn't the answer as there are many questions around artificial sweeteners and the health problems they may cause. Actual studies have shown that people who drink diet sodas are more likely to be overweight than those who drank regular sodas. Artificial sweeteners may increase the appetite, especially for sweets.
Switch from sweetened cereal to unsweetened and add your own or a little organic agave nectar to sweeten. Eat fresh fruit and if you bake, use the organic versions of sugar. Avoid as many pre-packaged foods as possible.
Always, always read your labels and look for the least amount of sugars possible when purchasing foods.
Water is a good alternative to soda pop. It takes a commitment to switch, but if you really worry about your health, it can be done. Water is so important to eliminating impurities from our bodies - the benefit is tremendous!
